Holster radio alarm



Sept. 22, 1970 vm 3,530,451

HOLSTER RADIO ALARM Filed Jan. 20, 1967 60 75 j 20 g R. E MODULA 70R 590501mm? AMPL/F/ER 70 2s 77 :1 TONE J GENERATOR 63 2ND Ta/VE I\'VE\'TORGENE/P TOR A 3 EDWARD DEV/NE ATTORNEYS United States Patent OfficePatented Sept. 22, 1970 US. Cl. 340224 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE An alarm system for signaling a remote, attended stationwhenever a policeman or security guard draws his revolver or isdisarmed. Magnetic reed switches are operated in response to removal ofthe oflicers revolver from its holster or to the disengagement of hisgun-belt buckle. The reed switches activate a small radio transmittercarried on the oflicers belt, thereby notifying a remote station of theexistence of a danger condition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to electrical alarmsystems and, more particularly, to an arrangement for Signaling anattended station whenever a security guard or the like encounters adangerous condition.

Large plants, office buildings, banks, etc. often employ security guardswho patrol a predetermined area. Because a single guard ornight-watchman may be unable, by himself, to effectively deal withintruders, it is desirable to provide a signaling arrangement which willenable the guard to call for assistance when necessary. This is commonlyaccomplished by providing one or more telephones or alarm boxes atpredetermined stations in the patrolled area.

Unfortunately, it may be impractical for the guard to turn in an alarmin this fashion. For instance, the guard may be taken captive by theintruders before he can reach such an alarm station.

Alarm systems have been devised which do not require the guard to takeaffirmative action in order to signal the remote, attended station. Inone conventional system, the guard on patrol is required to check in ata series of stations in sequence along his route. Should he fail tocheck in to the next station within a predetermined period following thelast, an alarm system is activated. Besides the extensive wiringrequired, the primary disadvantage of such an arrangement is thenecessary time delay which must elapse after the guard encounterstrouble before the alarm system is activated. This delay increases thedanger to the guard and may permit the intruder to complete his unlawfulmission.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a principal aspect, the present inventiontakes the form of an alarm system adapted to be used in conjunction witha weapon holster worn on the body. In accordance with the invention,means are employed for detecting the removal of the weapon from theholster and for activating a radio transmitter in response thereto. At aremote station, radio receiving means are employed for indicating adanger condition whenever a signal is received from the transmitter. Inpreferred embodiments of the invention, means are also employed foractivating the transmitter whenever the holster is removed from thebody, thereby notifying the remote station whenever a guard, policeman,or the like is disarmed. If desired, the radio transmitter may also bemanually activated in order to signal the remote station.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a remote,attended station may be automatically signaled whenever a securityguard, nightwatchman, po-

liceman, or the like draws his weapon or is disarmed by removal of hisgun-belt. It is unnecessary for the guard to make his way toward analarm box or to take any steps other than simply drawing his revolver oroperating a manual switch in order to signal the remote station.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent through a consideration of the attached drawingsand the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing agun-belt and holster arrangement incorporating the principles of theinvention in buckled position with the revolver in its holster.

FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of the buckle arrangement shown in thearrangement of FIG. 1.

FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of the switching mechanism activated inresponse to the removal of the gun from its holster.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the switching and transmittingarrangement incorporated into the gun-belt and holster depicted in FIGS.1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A gunbelt and holsterarrangement illustrative of one application of the principles of theinvention is shown in the perspective view of FIG. 1. A holster 11 whichreceives revolver 13 is carried on a gun-belt 15 along with a radiotransmitter housed in a compartment indicated generally at 17. Aswitching mechanism responsive to the removal of the gun 13 from theholster 11 is indicated generally at in FIG. 1 and shown in more detailin FIG. 1B of the drawing. The switching mechanism associated with beltbuckle 22 is shown more clearly in the enlarged view of FIG. 1A of thedrawing.

As seen in FIG. 1A, the belt buckle 22 is made up of buckle halves 24and 25, the half 24 carrying an enlarged magnetized member 26 which fitsthrough an aperture in the buckle half 25. Buckle half carries anencapsulated reed switch indicated generally at 28 made up of anevacuated glass envelope 29, a moveable reed member 30, and fixedcontact members 31 and 32. Contact member 32 is made of a non-ferrousmaterial whereas contact 31 is made of a ferrous metal having lowmagnetic reluctance. When the buckle halves 24 and 25 are engaged, theproximity of the magnet 26 to the reed switch 28 creates an axial fluxthrough the envelope 29, causing the reed member to be held inengagement with the ferrous contact 31. When buckle 22 is disengaged,magnet 26 and reed switch 28 separate, allowing reed member 30 to moveby spring action against the nonferrous contact 32. Disengagement ofbuckle 22 thus completes a circuit between the conductors 34 and 35which are affixed to contact 32 and rec-d 30 respectively. Aswill bedescribed in more detail in conjunction with FIG. 3, the disengagementof buckle 22 thereby serves to energize the radio transmitter housedwithin compartment 17.

A similar reed switching arrangement is provided for the gun 13 andholster 11 as more clearly seen in the enlarged view of FIG. 1B. Theswitching mechanism includes a reed switch capsule comprising anevactuated envelope which houses a reed member 41 and fixed contactmembers 42 and 43, the contact 42 being made of ferrous, magneticmaterial whereas contact 43 is nonferrous. The reed 41 is held inengagement with the contact 42 whenever a magnet 50, affixed to thebarrel of gun 13, is positioned adjacent thereto. The magnet is mountedin spaced relation from the barrel of gun 13 by means of a non-ferrousmounting block 53 in order to prevent the entire flux from the magnet 50from being shunted through the low reluctance path provided by thebarrel of gun 13. When the gun 13 is removed, the reed 41 swings intengagement with contact 43, thus completing a circuit between conductors54 and 55. These conductors 54 and 55 pass through the major length ofthe belt to the transmitter compartment 17 as clearly seen in FIGS. 1and 2 of the drawings.

The alarm system shown in the drawing may be activated by means of thekey operated switch 59 mounted in compartment 17 and operated by a key58 as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the alarm system may bedeactivated by means of a key switch at the receiving station.

As shown in FIG. 2, the transmitter compartment 17 is also connected toa dipole antenna indicated generally at 60 in FIGS. 1 and 2 which formsthe transmitting antenna for the arrangement. The antenna 60 may beembedded in the belt 15 as shown in FIG. 2 or may be placed within thecompartment 17.

A manually operated push-button switch 63 is provided on theundersurface of compartment 17, permitting the wearer to activate thetransmitter without removing the revolver 13 from holster 11 ordisengaging buckle halves 24 and 25.

The switching and amplifier circuitry employed is shown schematically inFIG. 3. Power for the unit is supplied by a battery 70, from which nocurrent is normally drawn since switches 20, 28 and 63 are normallyopen. The alarm system is activated by closing the switch 59 (by meansof the key 58 shown in FIG. 1). When the gun 13 is removed from holster11, switch is closed. If the buckle 22 is disengaged, switch 28 isclosed. The switch 63 is manually closed by depressing the button on theunderside of transmitter compartment 17. When any one of these threeswitches is closed, current flows from the battery 70 to the power inputsupply bus 75 which energizes an RF oscillator 76, a first tonegenerator 77, and a second tone generator 78. Oscillator 76 generates acarrier signal of predetermined frequency which is delivered toone inputof a modulator-amplifier 80 which modulates the carrier with theidentification tones of different frequencies produced by generators 77and 78. The modulated signal from modulator-amplifier 80 is delivered toantenna 60 for transmission to the remote, attended station. Thefrequencies produced by tone generators 77 and 78 are uniquely selectedto identify that particular guard or police officer from whom the alarmcondition is being signaled. These tone generators also serve todistinguish transmissions from the holster gunbelt alarm systemtransmitters from spurious signals which might also be received.

It is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention which hasbeen described is merely illustrative of one application of theprinciples of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

'1. In combination with a weapon holder adapted to be worn on the body,an alarm system comprising, in combination,

means for detecting removal of said weapon from said holster,

means responsive to said detecting means for generating a radio signalreceivable at a remote location whenever said weapon is removed fromsaid holster.

2. An alarm system as set forth in claim 1 including means for detectingthe removal of said holster from the body and means for generating saidradio signal whenever said holster is removed.

3. An alarm system as set forth in claim 2 including manually actuatedmeans for activating said radio transmitter.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said radio signal ismodulated by at least one tone having a frequency which identifies theparticular transmitter.

5. An alarm system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means fordetecting the removal of said weapon includes switching means forclosing an electrical ciricut whenever said electrical circuit isremoved.

6. An alarm system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said switching meanscomprises a magnet attached to said weapon and an encapsulated reedswitch positioned in said holster adjacent said magnet when said weaponis fully inserted in said holster.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,993,436 3/ 1935 Eberhard340-224 2,727,221 12/1955 Sprigg 340224 2,927,311 3/1960 Donaldson340280 3,247,502 4/1966 Eberts 340224 3,147,819 9/1964 Keleher 335205 X3,207,850 9/ 1965 Foreman 340224 X DONALD J. YUSKO, Primary Examiner P.PALAN, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION patent 3, 530,451Dated September 22, 1970 Inventor (S) EDWARD DEVINE It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 6, "int" should be --into-- Claim 1, line 1, "holder"should be --holster--;

Claim 5, line 4, "electrical circuit" should be --wea.pon--.

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